


Breathe

by IdleLeaves



Category: Stand Still Stay Silent
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:46:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22425046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IdleLeaves/pseuds/IdleLeaves
Summary: Reynir needs to know if Onni's okay.
Relationships: Reynir Árnason & Onni Hotakainen
Comments: 9
Kudos: 28
Collections: Synchronised Screaming





	Breathe

**Author's Note:**

> For a prompt of "Reynir & Onni - Dark Waters".

The dream-sea spreads out dark and fog-shrouded in front of him. Reynir doesn't know which way to go; things shift here, sometimes, and he knows - no, he _senses_ \- that Onni's area is not where it used to be. He follows that sense, takes a step onto the surface of the water and tries to feel the pull.

Nothing.

"Please," Reynir says to the sea, or himself.

He takes another step forward, and trusts his heart. It leads him into the thick of the fog, where the stars are muted and dark shapes move beneath the water. A kelp-covered, skeletal tail breaks through to the surface; Reynir walks just a little faster. He follows his feet until they start to ache - and now, if he squints through the mist he can make out, in the distance, a rock-strewn shore that transitions sharply into woods.

The trees are darker, taller, more closely-set than before; they tilt and lean at angles, more barrier than forest. Reynir pushes past them as best he can, even as bare branches scratch his face and dry leaves crunch and crumble underfoot.

Reynir finds Onni, his arms crossed and head down, standing beside a familiar rocky pond. He seems to have aged a decade since Reynir saw him last - his face rough, his eyes reddened with fatigue, his hair grown to his shoulders. Somehow, he hasn't noticed Reynir's approach; Reynir puts himself in Onni's field of vision and waits.

Onni raises his head. "Hi," says Reynir, and waits for the backlash.

It doesn't come. All Onni does is turn back to the pond. "You're interrupting my rest," he says, voice scratching through the words like it hasn't been used in months.

"It doesn't look like you're getting much," Reynir says. He's pushing his luck, but Onni just looks so _exhausted_.

Onni sighs. "What do you want?" he asks.

"N-nothing," Reynir stutters, suddenly hesitant as the clouds darken and it begins, all at once, to rain. "I just - I needed - I wanted to know if you were okay."

The rain is closer to drizzle than downpour, but it dampens Onni's face and hair quickly enough. "I'm fine," he says, and follows it with a soft, hollow laugh, rubbing a hand over his eyes to dry them.

It's an obvious lie, but Reynir tries to be gentle. "I don't think you are," he says, and finds that he's come forward to the edge of the pond, to where Onni stands. "Maybe you could just... sit down, for a while? I mean, if you're meant to be resting."

Onni ignores him - or seems to - for several long moments, then abruptly turns away and walks toward a sheltered patch under trees with long, trailing branches. Reynir follows him like a puppy, and sits cross-legged in front of Onni, after he's lowered himself to the ground.

It's pouring, now, and rain strikes rock like dull, persistent thunder. Onni dips his head down with a soft groan and covers his face with his hands.

"I wish you hadn't gone off without us," Reynir says.

"It's none of your concern," Onni says, without anger.

Reynir takes a breath to continue, but - no. Onni doesn't need to know, yet, that help is on the way; he doesn't need to know that Lalli's in danger, or about their too-frequent close calls. Reynir keeps it all to himself, and the weight of it squeezes his chest like Onni's trees crowding him beside his shore.

"You need rest," is what he chooses to say.

"I know," admits Onni, and when he removes his hands from his face he looks as miserable as Reynir's ever seen him. Reynir doesn't give himself time to think, or reconsider - he leans forward and wraps his arms around Onni in a tight hug.

Onni stiffens. Reynir doesn't let go. He holds still, and he waits, and slowly Onni relaxes in his arms. He rests his cheek against Reynir's shoulder, and breathes. Reynir breathes with him, for a while, and when they part the rain has slowed near to a stop.

"Do you want me to go?" Reynir asks.

Onni won't look at him; he keeps his eyes turned away, looking out across the pond and its water-lilies. "No," he says.

Reynir holds out his hand, and after a long silence Onni takes it. Reynir pulls him forward so he can lean against his side, their backs against rough bark. He settles his arm securely around Onni's shoulders, and smiles to himself - just a little sadly - when Onni's forehead comes to rest against his neck.

"Sleep, if you want," Reynir says; Onni's eyes are already closing. "I'll stay 'til morning."


End file.
